And so the Pujas come to an end
Durga Pujo 2018 at our building Durga Pujo in Kolkata I took this from my brother’s Facebook page as he has gone there this year |
Doshomi 2018: At the Bandra Durga Puja with the Dashami bhog and before visarjan |
Batting out Saptami with grit and determination
Bangladeshi bharta thali at Mustard. my favourites were the liver and egg bharta, black masoor and prawns and the Bombay Duck/ loita maachh ones |
With K, Pritha Sen and Nayana Afroz at Mustard on Saptami. I am in the customary notun jama (new clothes/ shirt) |
With Sam at the Badra Durga Pujo on Nobomi |
The game changing session of play on Ashtami
The khichuri that I made at home for lunch with our cook, Banu, helping with the prep and making the begun bhaaja |
Chef Gobindo and his team in the Bandra Durga Pujo Kitchen Navami, 2018 |
We Bengalis believe that the taste of the bhoger khichuri cannot be replicated at home. You could ascribe it the blessings of the Goddess as most do. Or your rational self might ascribe it to the magic of slow cooking that the pujo khichuri undergoes. If the latter, then it is another similarity with test match cricket. Purists will tell you that pressure cooker atmosphere of one day and twenty twenty matches can never match up to the finesse and art of a five day test!
#GramTheGrammers as they say on Instagram |
With K (extreme right) and S, photo-bombed by the Goddess |
Rejuvenated by the Navami Bhog at the Bandra Pujo
Joggo ritual at the Nabami Puja |
Suddenly I was a teenager again and not a back pain weary man in his forties. I scampered from one part of the puja grounds to another. Chatting with those around. Eventually gravitating to the most holy part of the pujas for me, the bhog distribution area. Where food is given out on the house to all who have come to the puja at lunch time. A bit like at a langar in a Sikh Gurudwara.
Kaushik Saha and his team of volunteers at the Bandra Pujo working hard to ensure that everyone was fed bhog |
With Kaushik Saha joining the hard working volunteers in the post bhog distribution lunch. Bandra Pujo , 2018 |
Of Dashami and smiling during the draw of stumps on the fifth day
Doshomi bhog at the Bandra Durga Puja, 2018 |
Saying goodbye to the Goddess post shidoor khela at the Bandra Durga Pujo |
Shubho Bijoya folk |
Bijoya Doshomi
Update: 20th October. My brother, mom, nieces, sis in law, mesho, mashi and cousin dropped in at Didu’s house to wish her on Bijoya. She hosted them for lunch and that’s a picture that my brother sent of her putting the final touches to it at the pass. I was so happy to see this. I am sure that so are you.
Didu, 20th October, 2018 |
PS: I had to share this amazing story of courage that I saw on Facebook which shows what the spirit of Durga Puja is all about. It is from Sharmila who writes the blog Kichhu Khon, one of the earliest food blogs that I followed. Let’s wish her a speedy recovery and take lots of inspiration from her. I am sure she did Ma Durga proud and here’s the link to the story on her blog
Appendix:
Also of interest:
- Link to a Facebook Live that I did from the Bandra Durga Puja on Navami this year
- Link to my khichuri recipe on the blog
A video of the bhog distribution at the Bandra Pujo from last year:
K Loves her Bengali food. Our first ‘dining table’ still works for us. I am in the notun jama she bought me. The table and shirt are both from Fab India! |
S in her full pujo regalia. A one time college senior who is now our friend and neighbour
Selfies galore |
The bhog counter |
The food stalls at the entrance |
The volunteer lunch |
Still time for sari shopping |
Shombhit (in stripes) did a stellar job at the food counter |
The final countdown |
Aaschhe bochhor aabar hobe (till next year) |
Getting ready to take guard again |